Gomez denies ECHL report; Pacioretty scores in Swiss loss

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-André Fleury watches the blur of activity in front of his net during a Friday noon-hour practice of Canadiens and a few other NHL players.Stubbs photo

A number of the Canadiens as well as a few other NHLers took part in a few brisk drills at 2 Glaces in South Shore Candiac Friday noon-hour. Some raw video is below, a few clips spliced together.

In mid-afternoon, Habs centreman Scott Gomez was reported on the web to be contracted to play his lockout hockey with the Alaska Aces of the ECHL, where he suited up during the 2004-05 lockout. A news release on the Aces website vaguely suggested as much.

But shortly after 5 pm ET, while participating in a children’s sports event in Alaska, Gomez texted HIO’s Dave Stubbs to say there was “no truth to that at all,” and that he was grateful to be skating with the Aces as a means to stay fit. “One hundred percent I’m not playing here” during the lockout, he texted from his native state.

“Get it out there I’m not playing (w/ ECHL Alaska Aces) 100 percent,” another text read. “Just skating with my hometown team.”

The Hamilton Bulldogs, roughly 42 of them headed into their AHL training camp, were in Brossard undergoing medical tests and physicals in advance of their on-ice work, which begins Saturday in Sherbrooke.

And in Switzerland, Habs forward Max Pacioretty scored early in his first game with Swiss A League Ambri Piotta, at home vs. Fribourg, but his team lost 3-2.

Elsewhere in the Swiss League: Raphael Diaz had a two-assist night in a 5-2 EV Zug loss to league-leading Geneva-Servette, Yannick Weber assisting once in his team’s victory.

And in the Czech Republic, HC Kladno’s Tomas Plekanec and Tomas Kaberle each had an assist in a 3-1 win over Pirati Chomutov.